Hidden Death
by Engraved
Summary: [HIATUS][AU YamiYugi Friendship] Ever get that feeling of being watched? A dangerous mystery begins as eight year old Yugi Mutou discovers that he and his grandpa are not living in their new home alone...
1. Chapter 1

**Hidden Death**

Summary: Ever get that feeling of being watched, or death lurking around you? A dangerous enigma begins as eight year old Yugi discovers he and his grandpa are not living in their new home alone... (AU Yaoi-Free)

A/N: Yep. Another fic. Kind of a new direction heading with this one, but eh, you'll see. Like I did with THoP, I'd like to thank Angel Red for helping me out once again. Actually, I'm sort of co-writing this with her, but only after chapter 5 because I already wrote 1-4 n.n_  
_But of course there is always time for editing, so I'm not going to post them until I have at 100 percent confidence in them. As with the structure of this story, it is totally unlike something I've ever done before. I've gone from sweet, action romance to horror and mystery. XD awkward change, no? Well, that's me for ya! Constantly changing! (_wink_) I've decided to keep this one **Yaoi-Free**, because, well it's when Yugi was a teensy weensy little eight year old. And ahem, yeah...BUT! Do not fail on me, for there will be a sequel to this when Yugi is his normal self, and THAT will be a Yaoi ficcie. (I think, I'm still deciding but that's the general idea). Oh and please bare with me on the title, I honestly couldn't think of anything better. It's probably hopelessly overused, but eh, this is MY version.

A/N 2: Yeah, I need a second one. xP Just a quick note, please be reminded that Yugi is in second grade, therefore he acts differently (more childish, clueless, etc) That's what I'm trying to capture in his POV, so some things might not make the best of sense, or be in character. **It IS an AU! (alternate universe)**

This has to be the longest note I've ever typed, so enough of me blabbering, go on and read!

Disclaimer: Not mine! Don't sue! I don't own any movies I happen to pick out ideas/lines unknowingly from, too. XD

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_CHAPTER ONE:_

I wasn't a kid. Why did grandpa always call me a kid? I could beat him at every game, out run him at every race, and even lift things heavier than he could. So why was I still a kid?

Sure, I was merely 3 feet tall, had the widest amethyst eyes, and could never stop giggling, but did that automatically classify me as a kid?

Here I am, getting lectured by Grandpa once again that I must cross a road with his hand, and his hand only. Like I would go up to a stranger and ask him to hold my hand as I cross the road.

Like I said grandpa, I'm not a kid! I think I'm smart enough to cross the road on my own! Go when it's green, stop when it's red. Walk between the white lines. It's not kindergarten work! I'm in second grade now! Almost eight years old!

After grandpa finished with his lecture, we _finally _made it to the other side. After running a few meters ahead, he calls me to stop.

Oh what NOW? Can't I have fun for just one _second? _

I glared at grandpa, and he pointed to a building to my right. Oh.

I really should learn to stop complaining.

I had run passed our new house, or more like our new shop, by the way it looked.

He decided it was best if we moved back to Domino, Japan. It was the town where grandpa grew up, and he wanted me to experience it first hand. The schools were great, and grandpa claimed everyone was nice. Except for when it came to homes...

The building looked like a run-down old trinket store. As I took the first step, mice scrawled out from underneath. Instantly I screamed and ran further into the shop, clouds of dust forming with every step I took. I stopped running and eyed and old broom in the corner. Ew. This place even had old witch brooms. Just who had lived here before? I widened my eyes and jerked them away from the gaze of the broom.

"Well here it is, Yugi!" Grandpa said, patting me on the back. I inhaled a layer of dust covering the floor and instantly coughed. "Welcome to the new Game Shop, and our home! What'd you think? A few small repairs, and it should look as good as new!" Grandpa said spiritedly as he continued to walk through the shop, stepping over boxes and pushing aside an old toy house.

"Are you sure you didn't get confused between a graveyard and home?" I mumbled, making sure grandpa didn't hear me. Waving cobwebs out of my face, I continued to walk also, climbing the stairs cautiously, afraid one could snap at any given time.

I made it, thankfully.

Checking the first room, I turned the knob on the door. I wasn't surprised when it snapped right off and clunked to the floor.

"Perfect." I mumbled, narrowing my eyes at the knob and the cloud of dust it made. "I guess this place _is _as bad as it looks." I ran a hand through my hair exhaustingly. Pushing the door open with a single finger, a loud creak could be heard as wood cracked and split into two as it twisted on the hinges.

Just how did I make it up those stairs?

Gulping and pinching my nose tightly, I took a wide step into the room, hearing the floor boards creak underneath. In the center of the room was a small twin-sized bed. Old blue sheets covered the mattress, wrinkled in the middle as if someone had recently slept there. There wasn't even a layer of dust coating the bed.

I cringed, hoping it wasn't a raccoon or some unknown animal that managed to sneak into the house.

Looking over to an over-sized mirror, I pinched my nose tighter and took in a deep breath, closing my eyes as I blew the layer of dust off the surface of the mirror. I immediately began coughing, even with my nose pinched.

The mirror surprisingly had no cracks in it, and looked brand new. Save for a few hand smudges on the corners, but even my old mirror had those. The molding on the mirror looked hand-carved, with that Egyptian text called hieroglyphics. How did I know that? Well, Grandpa is an archaeologist back in Egypt, so I picked a few facts from him.

Walking further, I glanced at the two set of drawers, each an old oak wood, aging with holes and some sort of...scratch marks?

Kneeling down, I swiped away at a cobweb in the corner of the drawer. Squinting my eyes, I leaned forward and stared at the marks.

There were three long lines, perfectly cut and seemed to look...dare I say it, fresh? The wood was pushed up where a strong force seemed to dig deeper and deeper. The marks began at the base of the leg, and curled upward toward the top of the drawer, looking done on purpose. Just who in the right mind would want to scratch a perfectly good drawer?

(END YUGI'S POV)

Yugi leaned closer, and noticed that next to the marks were some similar, only not used with so much pressure as the fresh-looking ones.

_Just what happened here? _Yugi thought, leaning closer as he stretched his small fingers out to touch the wood.

Yugi didn't realize that the room became a shade darker.

The light bulb handing by a wire in Yugi's room flickered once.

Yugi bit his lip, leaning closer and placing his fingers into the streaks.

The light flickered twice. A wind blew through the curtains on the windows, tossing them around.

Yugi's nails traced the scratches, fingers trailing up the fresh lines on the wood..

The light suddenly burned out.

Yugi gasped and pulled his hand away, landing on the floor with a thump. His heart raced as darkness surrounded him, the only light being the one from downstairs. Yugi shuddered, breathing deeply he widened his eyes and looked up to the swinging, burned light bulb above him. _Swinging? Oh, Must've been the wind. _Yugi thought as he sat up, dusting his pants and hands off. That was enough exploring for one day.

And yet, he couldn't help but glance back at that drawer...

"Yugi!" He snapped his head up to his grandfather calling him. "Come down and help me bring some of these items outside, will you?" A smile lit up Yugi's face.

"Sure thing, Grandpa! Oh, and this light up here blew out!" Yugi ran down the stairs, forgetting the caution from before.

The light bulb flickered back on again.

* * *

Yugi huffed another breath of air as he placed a large box down on the sidewalk. He and his grandfather were cleaning out the old shop, tossing away items left behind. Surprisingly, they found more stuff than expected.

From old jackets, to old books, to old clocks, to old plaques. Almost everything that you would find in a modern day home, just...dustier and older.

Yugi flopped down on the new couch that was brought in which replaced the dust mite-infested one. It was a smooth auburn leather, cooling to the touch on a humid day like this.

Yugi was dressed in a pair of baggy, old jeans. Perfect for working in an environment like this. A tight, long-sleeved T-shirt covered his small torso, protecting his arms from any unknown mold and such. Latex gloves were placed on his delicate hands, now flexing themselves to get rid of tension. Sweat covered his brow, which was hidden by strands of goldenrod bangs. His head was made up of ebony and violet hair, spiked uniquely and tied back on his head.

"Worn out, boy?" Yugi's grandpa asked as he walked into the room, holding two glasses of water. Yugi's eyes shone with thankfulness as he took a glass and gorged it down, water dribbling down his chin as he soaked every last drop. His grandfather, Solomon Muto gulped and stood up. "I'll go get more then..." He said, rushing off to get more water for his grandson.

Yugi laughed. "Sorry, Grandpa. Just feel a bit dehydrated and I've been holding back on water thinking it would slow me down." Yugi used the back of his palm to wipe the sweat off his forehead. "I think I feel better now." Yugi was silenced when another glass of water was placed up to his chin. He smiled gratefully and gorged it down, not as fast as before, but still fast enough to be considered thirsty.

"Let's see, we've got the kitchen and upstairs to finish up for tomorrow. I guess we'll have to stay in the Living room for tonight, alright?" Solomon said as he patted his grandson's head. Yugi smiled and nodded in assurance.

"Not a problem, Grandpa. Do you think we'll finish by tomorrow?" Yugi asked in his cheerful eight year old voice. Suddenly his sentence was paused when he yawned. Solomon looked outside. The sky was painted with reds and purples, the effects of a setting sun.

"Yes." He answered. "but for now you need your rest." He said, lying Yugi on the couch. Fluffing a pair of pillows and placing it under his head, Grandpa Mutou leaned down and kissed his grandson on the forehead. "Sweet dreams, little one." He whispered.

"Hmm. Sweet dreams, Grandpa."

* * *

The minute hand on the large grandfather clock struck midnight. A low rumble of wind blew through the house, making two figures shiver. One being a small child, curled up in pillows on a leather couch. Another being an older man, snoring loudly on a recliner.

_Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. _

The pendulum below the face of the clock swung back and forth with each tick. It glistened brightly every time the moon's light shone on it's surface as it passed by the light from the window.

Another gust of wind tossed the curtains from the open window.

The minute hand moved one stroke passed midnight. The pendulum continued to swing, not missing a single beat.

Time continued to pass, the larger hand on the clock moving one stroke every sixty seconds. Eight whole minutes had passed.

_Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. _

Sixty seconds concluded. The minute hand moved one more stroke, landing on the nine minute mark.

12:09

The second hand stopped ticking.

The pendulum stopped swinging.

A deadly silence filled the air.

And deadly it was, indeed...for a new figure appeared in the quiet room, sitting ever so gracefully on the window pane.

A childish hum filled the corners of the room, whispering a lullaby from a time long ago. Gentle strokes like the seconds on a clock echoed throughout the home, as two small feet tapped against the brick outsides of the shop.

The figure shifted in its position on the window pane and turned around, crimson eyes locking onto a solemn, sleeping face of a child. The child on the leather couch...

Another gust of wind rippled through the open window, tossing the curtains harder this time. Folds of silk flew into the air like waves in the ocean. The crimson eyed boy remained still, eyes locked onto the sleeping boy. The moon's light reflected in his eyes.

As the curtains settled down, they landed gracefully back into their positions next to the now empty window. The wind had suddenly disappeared, along with the crimson eyed boy in a matter of seconds.

And the pendulum on the clock began to swing again...

* * *

To be continued...if you review! 

Comments? Pwease? Like I said in the A/N above, I'm shooting for a whole new motive here. Not my BEST work, but I'm proud of it. Tips and critique would be MUCH appreciated if you are good with this horror stuff. Practice makes perfect, right? Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

**Hidden Death**

Summary: Ever get that feeling of being watched, or death lurking around you? A dangerous enigma begins as eight year old Yugi discovers he and his grandpa are not living in their new home alone... (AU Yaoi-Free)

A/N: Well, I'll update this fic for now, because I have officially lost my complete and edited chapters for THoP. x( my luck, eh? Stupid laptops these days. I don't know when I'll be able to (or have the inspiration to) write the chapters all over again. But anyway, thanks to everyone who reviewed for the first chapter! Replies are in my blog (link in bio).

Disclaimer: Don't own Yuugiou! (getting in the habbit of spelling it like that now) Nor do I own any movies/books/etc. that I took mini scenes unknowingly from. xD

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_CHAPTER TWO:_

Yugi heaved a large box up the steps into his new empty room, save for the few drawers he requested to have kept. Placing the cardboard box down on the floor, he sighed and clapped his gloves free of dust.

"Well, that's the last box." Yugi said with pride as he placed his gloved hands on his hips. He looked into his soon-to-be-room containing one large dresser, one smaller dresser full of drawers with a large mirror over it, a twin sized bed, and many boxes with 'Yugi' written in black permanent marker on the sides.

Yugi nearly jumped out of his skin as a hand was placed on his shoulder. He quickly turned around.

It was only his grandfather.

"Oh, Grandpa! Don't scare me like that!" Yugi said, placing a hand over his speeding heart. His grandfather only chuckled.

"Were you expecting someone?" The elder raised an eyebrow as he patted his grandson on the head. Yugi looked absolutely adorable in jean overalls covering a stained, large tan shirt, followed by worn gloves on his hands and a dark blue bandana wrapped around his spiky head. A heart-wrenching pout was planted upon his face.

"Sure, Grandpa. I was wishing for a ghost to pop out." Yugi said sarcastically, crossing his arms over his chest cutely.

"Now, now. Be careful what you wish for! You never know when the gods are listening." Grandpa Mutou said, pointing a finger at Yugi. The little one rolled his eyes.

"Oh Grandpa, you've been studying Egypt for too long." Yugi said before having a hand ruffle his bandana.

"Let's go and fetch a vacuum for your new room." Grandpa Mutou suggested. Yugi's face lit up with happiness as he bounded down the stairs.

* * *

"Well, everything is nice and vacuumed. Doesn't it smell nice in here?" Grandpa Mutou sniffed the air in Yugi's new environment. Yugi giggled. 

"It sure does, Grandpa." Yugi looked over to the one piece of furniture that remained in the room from the previous owners. The set of drawers with the large mirror. Yugi's amethyst eyes locked firmly with the scratches again, all other senses seemed to be blocked out. Yugi's fingers twitched in the direction of the scratches. His heart beat seemed to quicken, and short puffs of visible air escaped his mouth. It was as if the temperature dropped ten degrees all so suddenly.

"Yugi, you alright boy?" Solomon Mutou placed a firm hand on his grandson's shoulder. Yugi jerked his head up toward his grandfather.

"Yeah, I'm fine!" Yugi smiled warmly. He looked over to the mirror again. "Grandpa, can we keep that dresser?" Yugi asked as he pointed to the oak wood set of drawers with the attached mirror. Solomon raised an eyebrow.

"Why would you want to keep an old thing like that?" Grandpa Mutou asked, looking down at Yugi. Yugi clasped his hands together and looked pleadingly into his grandfather's eyes.

"Please, please! It's really pretty with the hieroglyphic carvings and I can use the drawers for my clothes! Please can I keep it, please?" Yugi continued to beg. Solomon only chuckled and kneeled on his knee caps so he was eye level with Yugi's short size.

"Alright then, Yugi. I'll let you keep that piece of furniture." Grandpa Mutou said, tapping Yugi's cheek lightly. "Only because it will be quite a hassle to move it outside, no?" Yugi laughed in response.

"Oh thank you, Grandpa!" Yugi chirped as he swung his arms around his Grandfather's neck.

A flash of black zoomed by Yugi's eyes.

Yugi blinked.

_Crash! _

Yugi and Solomon instantly let go of each other, eyes alert as they faced the stairway. The crash came from some sort of glass item shattering.

"Oh dear, I wonder what happened." Solomon said worriedly as he rushed down the steps, leaving Yugi alone on the room.

Yugi blinked, obviously confused. _I wonder if..._ Yugi shifted his eyes cautiously around the corners of his room. "Nahh..." He said with a wave of his hand, shoving the thought out of his mind. He eyed his bed with excitement, running up to the edge and hopping on top of it.

His clean, dark blue bed sheets were wrinkled with the pressure of two small feet consistently bouncing, and semi-lifted up off the bed as Yugi flopped himself down onto the mattress with exhaustion. Sitting up, Yugi stretched his legs and let his two hands fall in his lap.

"_Yugi..."_

Yugi's head snapped to the sound of his name, and he instantly looked over at the dresser he forced his grandfather to keep.

His eyes trailed to the deep scratches in the oak wood.

Once again, Yugi's body was hypnotized, sitting perfectly still on the bed. His legs hung off the end, swinging silently back and forth. Slowly Yugi's hands found themselves behind him, pushing against the bed to slide himself off. His two small feet landed with a small thud on the wooden floor.

"_Yugi..."_

Yugi took a hesitant step backward, pressing his lower back into the bed. His amethyst eyes narrowed, unsure to believe his ears of what he was hearing. His face turned to a scowl, glaring down at the scratches on the dresser.

"Grandpa..." Yugi said loudly, small hands gripping the sheets of the bed as he walked around the bed frame, eyes never leaving the markings. His feet slowly walked with his body, one foot being placed directly in front of the other cautiously.

"_Yugi!" _

Yugi stopped walking around the bed. Not because he wanted to, but because he was forced to. His face began to pale, eyes growing wide with each passing second. A bead of sweat trickled down the side of his face.

"_Yuuugiii..." _A whisper was carried by the wind.

Near the scratches, at the base of the dresser, _new _markings began to form. Two small lines formed simultaneously in a "v" shape, and a longer line continued from the point of the "v" forming a capital "Y".

Yugi's left eye twitched with nervousness and fear. His fingers wrapped themselves around the bed post, knuckles turning white from squeezing so hard.

Next to the "Y", two more lines began to form simultaneously, curving at the bottom and touching together forming a "u."

Yugi swallowed a lump of fear down his throat. He exhaled deeply, shivering to the sudden coldness of the room, as a puff of white air escaped his lips.

The small sound of a nail or small tool scratching wood pounded in Yugi's ears. His head made a small shake, almost disbelievingly.

Next to the "u", a small circle appeared. From the right end of the circle, a line trailed downward, curling up to the left creating a "g."

Yugi had enough. "G-Grandpa!" Yugi screamed as he sat down on the floor and covered his eyes.

In the blink of an eye the letters were gone.

* * *

(YUGI'S POV) 

I'm not tired, like Grandpa said. I'm not 'imagining things' either. And I'm sure as heck not crazy, so just what was wrong with me? I _know _what I saw today. Grandpa wouldn't believe me, no matter how much I told him I was telling the truth.

I rolled over on my side, burying my face deeper into my pillow. I looked over to my alarm clock.

8:29.

A sudden chill went down my spine, remembering the letters that were magically carved into the drawers of the dresser before my eyes. "Yug" it read. I didn't give _it _enough time to carve the "i." Whatever _it _was.

I clenched my fists in my blankets, pulling them up to my chin. My legs bent together so I was in a small ball, taking up only a small portion of the bed.

A million thoughts and possibilities buzzed through my mind. Was it all just a cruel prank? Was it some sort of...magic? Or ghost?

I gulped. I sure hoped not.

"_Yugi..." _

I could have sworn my heart skipped a beat, and the room span around in a circle. There was that voice again...just like before...

"_Yugi...come..." _

Wow, it said something besides my name. I thought sarcastically. Clenching my blankets harder, I pulled the covers completely over my head. It wasn't that I was scared...was I?...

Oh, why can't I stop shaking!

"_Come, Yugi...I need your help..."_

Suddenly everything paused. Even my lip stopped quivering. Did this _thing _just ask for help?...from me? I slowly pulled the blankets below my eyes, gazing around the room.

"H-Help with what?" I called out, voice cracked.

I shivered again. The air seemed colder than before. In fact, the air seemed to drop drastically in temperature these first days unexpectedly. Grandpa tried to raise the thermometer, but it still seemed so cold.

I could feel my ears and nose redden and freeze from the cold. Thin layers of icicles formed over my lips as I constantly licked them to keep them moist.

Why did it get so cold in here all of a sudden?

"_Yugi..." _

My ears twitched, painfully, as I heard my name through a whisper in the wind. It was as if someone was speaking directly into my ear, and the sound waves traveled out into the far corners of the room.

"Yes?" I said loudly, beginning to get annoyed by this so called 'voice'. If it was Grandpa or some kid playing a prank, I am going to be mad...

"_Come with me..." _

This time I sat up directly in my bed, glaring at the ceiling.

"Come where?" I shouted, getting angry. Grandpa better cut this out!

"_Do not get angry..." _

"I'm not getting angry!" I shouted again.

"Yugi? Yugi what's the matter?" Uh-Oh, it's Grandpa. He walked into my room with a candle in his hands and a newspaper rolled under his arm. He was dressed in his blue pajamas, a soft hat placed upon his head. "What's with all the yelling? You should be sleeping, Yugi." I sheepishly smiled and lied back down in bed. Grandpa came over and tucked me in again.

"It was nothing, Grandpa." I lied. I already told Grandpa of the voices, he would only lecture me again on how I was sleepy or something.

"Get some sleep, Yugi. Tomorrow is another day." He whispered in my ear, kissing my forehead gently. I made a face of disgust, teasing him on how I was too old for that. He only smiled back at me.

"Sweet dreams, little one." He said before walking up to my door and shutting of the light.

"Sweet dreams, Grandpa." I replied. My eyes followed his form as he walked out of my room and down the stairs. Slowly I gazed back up the ceiling, narrowing my eyes. "See what you did? You almost got me in trouble!" I said sternly, less loud than before.

I blinked. Was I honestly talking to a ceiling? Shaking my head of the nonsense, I buried my face in my pillow once more, lifting the covers over my head. It was time I got some sleep, maybe the long day was finally catching up to me.

Gosh, I'm not _that _old am I?

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To be continued...if you review!


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